National
Design + Construction Competition

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology expands, the need for data centers is growing rapidly. While this growth fuels innovation, it also raises serious environmental and community concerns. Most AI data centers use massive amounts of electricity and water, often straining local resources. Thus many providers have committed to being “Net Zero” by 2035. Design a Net Zero data center that significantly reduces its environmental impact / carbon footprint, and respects the surrounding community. Successful proposals will demonstrate creative solutions to conserve energy and water, reuse or recycle resources, and/or integrate renewable energy sources, and at the same time, consider carefully how the building will affect local communities in terms of resource usage and pollution, minimizing noise and vibration, to aesthetically fit into the local environment in a thoughtful way, and/or other potential issues. You may choose to create an entirely new structure or reimagine an existing one, but your solution should balance the needs of technology, sustainability, and community. See the Competition Packet for full details/requirements.

Design an iconic structure/space/building that elevates an existing destination—enhancing its appeal to visitors while preserving the authenticity and cultural identity that make it valuable to the local community. Proposals may be a new build and/or a thoughtful redesign of an existing site/structure, and should demonstrate highly intentional site selections with a distinct character and/or opportunity. The key is to create thoughtful enhancements that simultaneously boost local business, deepen community integration, and increase tourism without compromising the site's original charm/reputation/function(s). Proposals should emphasize/prioritize sustainable design, improved circulation across all applicable transportation modes to accommodate a growing audience, and modernized infrastructure. Proposals must address site selection rationale, visitor and community engagement, integration with existing infrastructure, and the feasibility of construction—materials, systems, and environmental impact included. See the Competition Packet for full details/requirements.

The demand for faster, higher-quality, and more sustainable construction is growing, advancing innovative methods like modular building, 3D printing, hybrid/pre-fabrication, and/or other tech-enabled design methods to transform how structures are created. These technologies help reduce waste, shorten construction schedules, improve safety, and boost overall quality. The challenge is to design a structure that incorporates at least one cutting-edge tech-enabled modular construction technique while clearly demonstrating why and how your solution could be a preferred, sustainable method over standard building practices. Be sure to address the specific technical constraints of the chosen method(s) (e.g. modular shipping sizes; 3D printer span limits; etc). You may build/rebuild/amend any type of building/structure (residential/commercial/emergency shelter/community or public building/etc). Successful proposals should address real-world needs while demonstrating how modular/tech-enabled building improves efficiency and sustainability, and how its constraints shape the user/occupant experience and can adapt in the future. Solutions must meet and demonstrate location-specific safety requirements for structural integrity (e.g. resistance to wind, load-bearing capacity, seismic activity). See the Competition Packet for full details/requirements.